Boiler-tube-scale remover



April 22 1924- A. STERNER BOILER TUBE SCALE REMOVER' Filed July 26. 1920 Jy k dei

Patented Apr. Z2, lgi

nuir; sTArEs ALFRED STERNER, OF CHICAGO, ILLNQIS.

c BoInEnrUBE-sonLn aniuovnn.

Application filed July 26, 1920. Serial No. 398,960.

To @ZZ whom t may concern.'

Beit known that l, ALFRED STERNER, a citizen. of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the countyof Cook and State of illinois, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Boiler-Tube-Scale Removers, of which thc following is a specification. i

My invention relates to a device for removing the scale from boiler tubes and is especially adapted to be used in locomotive boilers where it is inserted either in the water tubes of the boiler so as to remove the scale formed inside ofsaid tubes, or into the nre tubes and remove 'the scale formed on the outside of the lire tubes, and by the use of compressed air or other fluid imparting to the boiler tubes a succession of light blows whereby the scale is removed therefrom.

it is well. known that heretofore in re moving the scale which forms on the out` side of the fire tubes of a locomotive boiler the only feasible means was to gain access to the tubes through the boiler shell from outside the shell and by the use of hammers knock the scale off the tubes.

My improved device is adapted to be inserted into and to be passed through the lire tubes, und by a succession of blows jar the scale loose from the outside' of the tubesy so that it can be washed out of the boiler and at the same time loosen the scale and dirt in the inside of said tubes so that it can be removed by the use of compressed air or any other suitable means.

For the removal of scale from water tube boilersl provide smooth faced head mem# bers which are adapted to exert a slight hammer blow upon the inside of the tubes and forthe removal of scale from water tubos these members have corrugated or ribbed siu'faces so that the scale is out loose from the inside of the tube as well as knocked loose by the hammer blow.

./Yinother and further object of my inveii* tien is the provision of water tube cleaning means whereby a successionof light blows is directed against either a water tube or a fire tube in a steam boiler without danger of loosening up the joints ofthe tubes between the flue sheet and the boiler tubes.

Another and further object of my invention is the provision of a boiler tube cleaning device which is portable, easily handled and which will be simple `and efficient in operation. f f

These and other objects of my invention will be more readily and better understood by reference to the accompanying sheet of drawings, and in which.-

Figure 1 isa longitudinal sectional view of my improved invention showing the hammer in full lines inits forward position i and in dotted .lines in itsrearward position; Figure 2 is a view in elevation of the forward end of my improved invention showing the type of head members illustrated in Figure s. c

Figure 3 is ya sectional view on line3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure i is a view inelevation of one i type of head kmember having transversely extending ribs or corrugations on the outside surface thereof for removing scales from water tube boilers;

Figure 5 is a view in elevation of a head member having a slightly different form of' corrugation; and

Figure' 6 is a view in elevation of one of the head members having a smooth surface and adapted to be used in the fire tubes of steam boilers for removing the scale from theoutside of said tubes.

Referring specifically' to they drawings and in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout, 10 is a cylinder ,have

ing a cap 11 iii threaded engagement with the rear end of said cylinder andy which serves lto close the rear end 'of the said'cylinder and having passages therein through which compressed air is admitted to said cylinder as hereafter described. The cylinder 10 has an enlarged annular chamber 12 centrally located thereof and a chamberr 13 in the rear portion of said cylinder of slightly less diameter than the chamber 12 .l'for the purposes hereinafter described;

` and an opening 14 forward of said chamber end with a pair of transversely extending passageways or ports 2O and 21 in said piston, the said passageways extending entirely through the said piston 15. rlhe forward end of the said cylinder 10 is slightly enlarged and has a plurality of wedge shaped prongs 22, 23, 24e and 25 extending forwardly of said vcylinder 1() and integral therewith, the wall of the cylinder 10 being cut away between each pair of the prongs so as to provide a triangular space for the reception of the head members or hammers 26, 26, four of which are provided, one of said members being particularly illustrated in Figure lL The members 26 have a wedge shaped body portion 27 and laterally extending projecting portions 28 and 28a integral with the body' portion 27, and extending beyond any one pair of the prongs 22, 23, 2aand 25, the said port-ions 28 and 28 together withthe outer end of the body portion 27 forming almost a complete circle so that the head members 26 come into con- :freedom of movement.

tact with the entire inner surface of the boiler tubes. The members 27 are slightly curved at their forward ends as at 29, to allow for easy insertion of the device into a boiler tube and also in order that the device can more readily be passed through curved Vtubes. `Ribs 31a extend transversely across the members 26 so as to cut the scale from the outer tubes of boilers more readily. Extending transversely across the body portion 27 of the head members 26 is a recess 30 and into which spring 31 is seated so as to hold the members 26 securely in .position at the forward end the cylinder 10 between the prongs or members 22, 23, 2a'- and which have a recess 32 extending transversely across and into which the spring 31 is seated the members 22, 23, 2li and 25 so that the head members 26 are held in position with a considerable The forward end 33 of the piston 15 is pointed so that as it reciprocates in the manner hereinafter described .it passe between each of the members 26, it will render a succession of blows a iainst the inner edges of the members 26 which jars loose the scale' on the boiler tubes. VThe end 33 of the piston 15 being pointed the force of the blow will be extended upon the members 26 gradually, but will be enough to be effective. The sides ofthe members 26 are in contact with the side of the prong members heretofore described and completely lill up the space between theY members. The inner edges 34 of the members 26 are slightly curved so that as they ridev upon the front end 33 of the piston 15 there is a .rocking motion of the members 26 so that they will conform to the curves in the boiler tube and also enable the device to be more easily inserted into a boiler tube. The head portion 28 of the members 26 is triangular' in shape and forms a segment of a circle with a slight space between each of the members 26 forwardly' of the prongs 22, 23, 2i and 25 so that as illustrated in Figure 2 the device forms substantially a complete circle.

The cap 11. has a well portion 35 anti a rearwardly extending tube portion 36 and a ball end 37 thereon over which an air hose 38 is passed which grips the portions 36 and also the portion 37 of the member 11. A split bushing 39 is provid d which is in threaded engagement with the member 11 and serves to hold the hose 38 securely upon the member 36 and prevent the compressed air from escaping between the bushing and the portion 36 of the member 11. The member 36 and ball end 37 have a passage l0 extending longitudinally thereof and into the member 11 where it joins a plurality of transversely extending passages -il in the end cap 11. The cap 11 has an inwardly projecting portion el-2 which abuts against the rear end of the cylinder 10, the said portion ll2 extending inwardly a short distance beyond the marginal edge of the cap 11 so that an annular space eil is formed between the cap 11 and the cylinder 10. Communicating with the annular space 13 and located inthe walls of the cylinder 10 in its rear portion thereof is a. plurality of longitudinally extending passages ad which communicate with the enlargerl annular chamber 12 in said cylinder an l. through which compressed air is admitted to the cylinder 12 as hereinafter described. The rear end of the piston 15 is slightly cupped shaped as at Ll5, so that when the piston 15 is against the portion Ll2 of the member 11 compressed air can be admitted behind the piston and will serve to force the piston forward.

illustrated in Figure 5 is a slightly different form of head member comprising a body portion 46 having a transversely extending recess l? and laterally extending projecting portions i8 and 48a. rlhese members are exactly the same form and contour as the members 26 heretofore described, except that their outer surfaces are rorrugated instead of ribbed, and in Figure 6 is illuscylinder 10.

leads to any suitable supply of compressed air which is admitted to the cylinder 10 throuoh the passage 40 in the member 36 and through the passages 11, 41, to the annular space L12 and forwardly through the passages le into the enlarged chamber 12 of the rllliereupon the air catching against the annular shoulder 18 on the piston forces the piston 15 rearwardly in the cylinder, the head portion is withdrawn from between the hammer members 26 and backward until the transversely eirtending passages 20 through the piston 15 is uncovered and into communication with the enlarged chamber 12, whereupon vthe Vcompressed air kwill enter through the passage 20 and pass rearwardly through the passage 19 and into the chamber 13 in the rear portion or the cylinder and drive the piston 15- forward with a resulting blow upon the hammer members 26 as the torward pointed end 33 of the piston comes into contact with the curved surfaces 34C or" the members 26. As the piston 15 passes forward the passage 2O passes into the chamber 1d of the cylinder k10 so that the supply or' air is cut oil and immediately thereafter the passage or port 21 passes outward through the chamber 1e and between the prong members 22, 23, 24 and 25 so that the port 21 is uncovered and the compressed air escapes from the chamber 13 out through the passages 19 and 21 until the air is at atmospheric pressure or substantially so. Thereupon the compressed air by exerting its `force against the shoulder 18 drives the piston rearwardly again and as long as the supply of air is continued to thecylinder 10 the piston 15 will be rec-iprocated back and 'forth in thecylinder 10 and each time it is thrown forward will exert a light blow upon the hammers or members 26, thus loosening the scale inside of the boiler tubes, and also outside thereof, and if used upon water tubes will loosen the scale in the said water tubes so that it can be washed out. v

llhile l have described more or less precisely the details of construction, l do not wish to be understood as limiting myselrl t ier/etc, l contemplate changes in form and the proportion of parts and the substitution ot equivalents as circumstances may suggest or render expedient, without dcparting from the spirit or scope of my invention.

l claim:

1. A iiue cleaner, comprising a Cylinder, a reciprocating piston therein, having a torward pointed end, means to supply an operative agent to said piston, hammer members carried by said cylinder havingarcuate yinner iiaces adapted to roclr upon the forward end o said piston, and spring means intermediate the ends of said hammers and bearing against the same for holding them in contact with the piston.

2. ilue cleaner? comprising a cylinder, reciprocating piston 'therein having a torward pointed end, means to supply an operative agent o said piston, loosely mounted hammer embers carried by said cylinder at the forward end thereoic and held in rocking engagement with the forward pointed end or the said piston when the said piston is in its forward position in said cylinder, and spring means intermediate ythe ends of said hammers bearing against the same for holding them in Contact with the piston.

3. ric flue cleaner, comprising a cylinder, a reciprocating piston 'therein having a forward pointed end, means tosupply an operative agent to said piston, hammer members carried by the said cylinder, a closure member tor said cylinder having a hollow outstandingfportion integral therewith, the said portion having an enlarged part at the end thereof over which a flexible pipe eX- tends, a gland in 'threaded engagement with said closure member, and spring means intermediate the ends of said hammers bearing against the same and holding them in contact with the piston.

et. A line cleaner, comprising a cylinder having a plurality of circumierentially p0- sitioned openings in the forward end thereof, a plurality of loosely mounted, radially movable hammer members positioned in said openings, means to retain Vthe said hammer members in position in said cylinder, a reciprocating piston mounted in'said cylinder having a forward pointed end, and means to supply an operative tluid agentr to said cylinder, the inner faces of the said hammer members beingl arcuate shaped and adapted for rocking engagement with the forward pointed end of the said piston.

iigned at Chicago, illinois, this 21st day ot July, 1920.

.atraen srnsnnn.

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